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This incredible trek was selected as one of the best twenty hikes in the world by National Geographic and more than lives up to its reputation.
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You will spend six days traversing the spinetingling beautiful landscapes of the Icelandic Highlands, including Landmannalaugar, Thorsmork, and Fimmvörðuháls, among many others, with the added bonus of exploring Iceland's famous south coast on your seventh day.
The odyssey begins in Landmannalaugar a magical geothermal paradise, renowned for its rainbow-colored rhyolite mountains and bubbling hot springs, which have been appreciated by natives throughout the centuries. Then as we push deeper we will encounter jet-black deserts, glassy obsidian fields, snow-capped mountains, capricious volcanoes, green-carpeted mountains that rise like emerald turrets, mighty glaciers, crystalline glacial rivers, luscious valleys and much, much more. It is a land steeped in myth and legend, whose spectacular topography is unlike anywhere else on the planet. Our evenings will be spent in secluded mountain huts, allowing us to reconnect with land that time has forgotten and escape the modern world.
The locations include jaw-droppingly beautiful places like Álftavatn, Hrafntinnusker, and Thorsmork. At the end of the day, we will prepare meals together as a group, enhancing the comradery. If we are really lucky, in the last weeks of the season (from late August until mid-September), we may even be lucky enough to see the dancing colors of the Northern Lights, as they flicker across the night sky. The penultimate day of the trek will take us to the incredible Thorsmork Valley, an emerald oasis named after the Norse god of thunder, Icelandic legend believes that it was created by a mighty blow of Thor’s hammer. It is also the perfect place to understand the ever-evolving nature of Iceland, with the craters Magni and Modi having been created by the volcanic eruption that downed much of Europe’s air fleet in 2010.
The final day will allow you to explore Iceland’s iconic south coast, replete with cascading waterfalls, jet-black beaches and a host of other things that you are bound to enjoy. If you want to explore all the magic that the land of fire and ice has to offer, then this is the tour for you.
Get ready for the adventure through the highlands of Iceland with our trekking guide:
Laugavegur Trek Information Package
Day one starts bright and early, at 7:00 - 7:30 am when we all meet up at the Reykjavik tourist information center (close to Reykjavik City Hall) and make the scenic journey to Landmannalaugar. The journey will last around 3-4 hours depending on the time of year and will take us past Hekla, Iceland’s most active volcano, along with a host of other incredible sights.
Once we arrive at Landmannalaugar we will be greeted by a geothermal paradise, replete with colorful rhyolite mountains and bubbling hot springs. Our trail will take us across the craggy Laugahraun lava field, whose barren features are the perfect contrast to the beautiful rainbow-colored mountains that populate the area. Soon its creator, the awe-inspiringly beautiful Brennisteinsalda volcano, whose slopes have been dyed various shades of green, red and blue by sulfur deposits, will hone into view. We will spend the night at the remote Landmannalaugar huts.
Day two begins with a traditional Icelandic breakfast before we head towards Hrafntinnusker, a flinty obsidian desert known for its otherworldly looks. The iconic Reykjafjoll Mountains, whose snow-capped peaks offer magnificent views of the surrounding area, are up next. After that, we will descend into the Jökultungur area a luscious green valley, whose rocks have been dyed various shades of red and yellow by the volcanic activity that has taken place over the centuries.
As we proceed through Jökultungur the scenery will become less colorful, with the mountains turning a dark shade of palagonite black. If the weather is good, we will head towards Mt. Haskerdingur, whose summit provides spectacular views over the various mountains, glaciers, and lakes that populate the area. If not that we will proceed towards the Jökultungur Mountain and begin to weave our way through its meandering paths to its summit, where we will be rewarded with majestic views over the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, whose incredible landscape has been crafted by erosion over the millennia and the idyllic Lake Alftavatn.
Our descent will take us past the River Grashagakvisl, a luscious oasis that is a perfect contrast to the otherwise barren landscape. We will then ford a small stream before arriving at Lake Álftavatn, (Whooper Swan Lake), where we will spend the night, amidst yet more splendid scenery.
Day three begins as the last one finished, as we re-ford the stream and push deeper into the stunning Icelandic Highlands. We will skirt around Stórasúla, an emerald green volcano that rises out of the black landscape like a turret and is one of the most photographed places in all of Iceland and pass into the jet-black volcanic desert of Mælifellssandur.
Mælifellssandur is completely unique, a dark black desert, crisscrossed by icy blue glacial streams, which make it one of the most beautiful places in the world. At its center is Mt. Mælifell, a grass-carpeted mountain that is a column of color in an otherwise dark landscape. The entire area is breathtakingly beautiful and should occupy a place on everyone's bucket list.
Our penultimate stop will be Emstrur, a luscious valley where Icelandic farmers have traditionally grazed sheep. Before finally, stopping at the Markarfljótsgljúfur Canyon, which has been carved into the earth by the glacial river that runs through it. Then we will arrive at Botnar, where we will rest amidst yet more stunning scenery and prepare ourselves for the next day’s adventures.
Day four will begin with a traditional Icelandic breakfast before we head towards the iconic Thorsmork Valley, a green oasis that rests between two imposing glaciers. The journey begins near to the colossal, Myrdalsjokull Glacier, which dominates the skyline of the area and will become a familiar sight over the coming day. We will pass the uniquely shaped Einhyrningur (The Unicorn), a mountain, which gets its nickname from its similarity to the legendary creature.
Following that, we will reach the dense birch forest that signals our arrival at Thorsmork, an oasis of color that is the most famous place in Iceland's highlands. It is called Thorsmork because Icelandic legend believes that it was created by a mighty blow of Thor's hammer. We will spend the evening in this incredible valley, which is steeped in myth and surrounded by mighty glaciers and majestic mountains.
Day 5 will take us to the mountain pass, which bisects the mighty Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull Glaciers and offers spectacular views of them and the surrounding area. This ever-evolving landscape has two new features known as Magni and Modi (the sons of Thor in Icelandic folklore) that were created by the notorious eruption of 2010 that downed Europe’s air fleet.
On our way to them, we will see a lava waterfall that is literally frozen in time and is a stark reminder of just how powerful nature is. Once we reach the summit of the mountain pass, we will be rewarded with awe-inspiring views of the surrounding area. We will then double back on ourselves and return to the gorgeous Thorsmork Valley, where we will enjoy a delicious grilled lamb dinner.
The final day in the Icelandic highlands is slightly less organized than the previous six, allowing us to be more flexible with our itinerary. We could go and explore the area surrounding the volcanos of Katla and Eyjafjallajokull, which are close to the Thorsmork Valley and have crafted the incredible landscape that surrounds them.
We could also hike up the Valahnukur Mountain, whose summit provides sublime views over the valley. It is also possible to simply relax in Thorsmork and enjoy all of its majestic beauty or go off in smaller groups to explore something else. We will then return to civilization and spend the night in a lovely country hotel in Hella. We'll have a nice long rest before heading out to the South Coast for our final day.
Day seven begins bright and early when we head towards Iceland’s famous South Coast, renowned for its incredible cascading waterfalls, impressive glaciers, jet-black beaches, and capricious volcanoes.
Our first stop will be the iconic Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where a cylindrical jet of roaring water tumbles around 60 meters into the valley below. There is a secret cave hidden behind the waterfall, allowing us to see the beauty of this majestic natural wonder from a completely different angle.
Our next stop after Seljalandsfoss will be the mighty Solheimajokull Glacier, a tongue of ice that unfurls from the bigger Myrdalsjokull Glacier and is famous for its many icy crevices, deep craters, and craggy rock formations. It is a vast, ever-evolving body of ice, which is one of the most visited places in the entire of Iceland, thanks to its unique topography.
Upon arrival at our base camp at the foot of the glacier, one of our friendly guides will provide you with all the equipment that you need and give you a short safety briefing. Then we will head out for our incredible one hour hike on a genuine natural wonder, where we can explore all the magic that this icy wilderness has to offer.
The final stop on the tour is the majestic Skogafoss waterfall, famed for its roaring cascade of water that tumbles 60 meters down the cliff face into a beautiful valley below. There is a meandering path that is cut into the hillside, offering the chance to climb the hill and be rewarded with a magnificent view of the surrounding area. Along this path are two fascinating rock formations, nicknamed the trolls, which local legend holds are two petrified trolls that were turned to stone by the sun.
Iceland’s stunning south coast is the ideal way to finish your time in the country, providing access to everything that makes the land of fire and ice so special.
We have a maximum of 16 participants on the hut tour. The group size just depends on how many bookings for each departure.
Yes, we recommend to bring a water bottle that you can then fill with the tap water at the huts/campsites. It’s perfectly safe to drink and delicious. There are also several streams along where people tend to get more water from. It’s safe just ask the guide.
We always recommend our participants to use gaiters. The weather in Iceland can be quite wet so the trails subsequently get wet as well. They are not necessary but do help a lot and keep you from getting drenched when the rain starts to pour.
We recommend bringing hiking poles on the trek. However, they are not necessary and it depends on your personal preference. Many people prefer to have them for the river crossings and if you are used to hiking with poles then you should bring a pair with you. It’s also possible to rent a pair from us in the booking process.
Showers are found in every hut/campsite. Using the showers costs 500 ISK and can be paid for at the warden’s hut at each hut/campsite.
The WC have toilet paper and soap for washing your hands. Anything else you might need for example shampoo, bandages, towels, washcloths, nail clippers etc. you will need to bring with you.
There are no power outlets in the huts that are accessible to travelers. We encourage bringing your own power bank on the tour (you can pack that in your duffel bag which is transported by the support vehicle). In some cases, you can buy small portable chargers at the huts as well, but they are not always available.
The huts are shared. They have dormitories with single and twin bunk beds so do be prepared to share a room with your fellow travelers.
The main luggage is transported between huts by a support vehicle provided by us. You will only need to carry a smaller day backpack with your lunch, water bottle, medication, sunglasses, river crossing shoes, rain gear, and other items or clothing you might need for the day.
There is a limit of 1 piece of luggage for each participant that can weigh up to 20 kg (+ your day backpack). Since there is limited space on the luggage trailer we kindly ask that you try to pack light out of consideration to other passengers on the tour. If you have extra luggage that you would like to leave, we recommend storing luggage at the BSI Bus terminal (fees apply) or another luggage storage space in Reykjavik.
The supported car will need to cross rivers to get between huts so we recommend a waterproof duffel bag since your luggage can get wet along the way. We also recommend that you put dry clothing and items in a plastic bag.
Our standard menu includes milk products, fish, nuts, meat and bread so if you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, have allergies or have other specific food preferences then we strongly suggest that you purchase the special food extra. This will help us in supplying the best meals possible for everyone.
Yes, you can rent a sleeping bag from us. You can purchase the rental when booking the tour OR you can add it to your booking at least 2 days before the tour starts. If you rent a sleeping bag, please bring a sleeping bag liner.
Please note that a sleeping bag cannot be rented once you are on the tour.
The only information we would appreciate from you is whether you have any medical issues we should be aware of.
IF you have any food restrictions, then please have a look at our Special Food Extra.
There is no WiFi in the huts but there are spots along the trail and by the huts where you can get 3G/4G connections. However, the connection is very flaky so we don’t really count on it.
The meals are prepared by all participants, guides and the team. Although the guide is usually the leader on the project this can go all ways. We have found that this brings the group together and makes a nice, fun and cozy atmosphere. Make food and friends at the same time.
